Blessing: May God Bless Your Eyes

Here’s a blessing/benediction from Jan Richardson’s the painted prayerbook website.

Blessing

May God,
who comes to us
in the things of this world,
bless your eyes
and be in your seeing.

May Christ,
who looks upon you
with deepest love,
bless your eyes
and widen your gaze.

May the Spirit,
who perceives what is
and what may yet be,
bless your eyes
and sharpen your vision.

May the Sacred Three
bless your eyes
and cause you to see.

~ from In the Sanctuary of Women, copyright © Jan L. Richardson.  Posted on the painted prayerbook. http://paintedprayerbook.com/

Litany: Come and Listen

Here’s a responsive litany of thanksgiving and proclamation.  It was written by Margaret D. McGee.

Responsive Litany

(inspired by Psalm 66)

O God, who made the world and everything in it, 

we pray with one voice, proclaiming your presence to all the earth. 

For skeptics and believers, for clergy high and low;
For those who seek God at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews,
For all who search for life, come and listen:
 

And we will tell you what our God has done for us. 

We are alive in the spirit.
We are saved through water.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

For presidents and prime ministers, for bosses and wardens;
For those who set the course at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews,
For all who wield power, come and listen:

And we will tell you what our God has done for us.

We do not fear what others fear.
We proclaim the hope that is in us.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

For friends and lovers, for neighbors and strangers,
For those who eat bread at home, at work, in the streets, 

and in the pews,
For all who live in the world, come and listen:

And we will tell you what our God has done for us.

In God, we live and move and have our being.
From God, we have life and breath and all things.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

For the sick and troubled, for the fearful and alone,
For those in pain at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews,
For all who suffer, come and listen:

And we will tell you what our God has done for us.

Our prayers are not rejected.
Our souls are held in life.
In truth, our God has heard us,
and love is not withheld.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

For those kept in memory, for those long forgotten,
For all who ever took the breath of life at home, at work, in the streets, and in the pews,
For the dead and those who mourn them, come and listen:

And we will tell you what our God has done for us.

We are blessed by your presence.
We are filled with the Spirit.
Because Christ lives, we also live.

For we too are God’s offspring.

God of heaven and earth, Companion in life, Spirit of truth,

to you alone we turn our eyes and lift our hearts.
 

Amen. 

~ written by Margaret D. McGee, and posted on In the Courtyard. www.inthecourtyard.com

Prayers of the People: Easter season

Here’s a thoughtful intercessory prayer during this pandemic Easter season. It was written by Katherine Kussmaul, Saint Giles Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC and posted on LiturgyLink.

Prayers of the People: Risen Lord, Hear Our Cry 

(inspired by Psalm 116 & Luke 24:13-31a)

Christ is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed!

Risen Lord, hear our cry for help –

for those surrounded by the shroud of death

for those covered by the mantle of dying

for those hemmed-in by illness, visible or veiled

hear our cry for help…

for those weighed down with worries

for those carrying the burden of distress

for those overwhelmed by isolation

hear our cry for help…

for those who are weary

for those who are tattered and worn

for those who collapse from exhaustion

hear our cry for help…

Risen Lord, hear our cry of thanksgiving –

for the graciousness with which you hear

for the patience with which you listen

for the grace with which you care

hear our cry of thanksgiving…

for the ways you accompany us through deep valleys

for the ways you lead us to still meadows

for the ways you provide all we need

hear our cry of thanksgiving…

for transforming death in resurrection life

for blessing and breaking ordinary bread

for opening our eyes to recognize you

hear our cry of thanksgiving…

Risen Lord, hear our cry for communities of faith –

that we retain memory of being together

that we embrace unity in the reality of distance

that we foresee a future side-by-side, hand-in-hand

hear our cry for communities of faith…

that we sense purpose beyond ourselves

that we perceive the needs of creation

that we stretch ourselves to respond

hear our cry for communities of faith…

that our ways be formed by Your Way

that our lives be shaped by Your Life

that our love be Your Love

hear our cry for communities our faith…

And hear us as we pray together….

~ written by Katherine Kussmaul, Saint Giles Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC. Posted on Liturgy Link. https://www.liturgylink.net/2020/04/22/prayers-of-the-people-risen-lord-hear-our-cry/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+liturgylink+%28LiturgyLink%29

Call to Worship for a Virtual Service

Here’s a responsive call to worship for a virtual service in the Easter season. It was written by Rev. Dr. Libby Grammer, Senior Pastor in Martinsville, VA.

Call to Worship in the Easter Season

We enter a virtual gathering space once again this season.

We worship together in spirit and in truth,

though not in person.

We pray, sing, and listen to God’s Word

despite the fear that pervades our community.

We trust Christ’s peace,

a peace given freely, despite our doubts and fears.

We know the Holy Spirit is among us,

blowing with a hopeful wind of change.

We feel the presence of Christ,

the one who died and rose again, and brings us eternal life.

We submit to God’s leading in this time of transformation.

We experience the joy of Easter morning

when we celebrate all God has in store for us.

~ submitted by Rev. Dr. Libby Grammer, Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Martinsville, VA. https://fbcmartinsville.com 

Easter Call to Worship

Here is an Easter call to worship from Rev. Cambron Wright, pastor of  Faith United Methodist Church in Bowling Green, KY.

Call to Worship for Easter Morning

 

It was early in the morning. Still dark.

The dawn just starting to cut through the fog.

The air hung heavy with expectation, as if the earth itself were holding its breath.

The echoes of the cross linger. His voice still rings out:

It Is Finished. Into your hands I commit my spirit.

The story comes to us in pieces and fragments, hints and images:

A vineyard garden, grapes ready for the harvest.

A stone, rolled away. The guards asleep at its side.

A pile of clothes, folded in an empty tomb.

Peter and John, running in with disbelief.

Walking out with questions and with hope.

But Mary stays behind. To weep in the garden.

And we weep with her. There is so much loss.

So much grief. So much death.

With her we look up, and through her tears

We see angels, seated in victory on top of the stone.

Do not be afraid, they tell us.

He is not here.

Why do you look for the living among the dead?

He. Is. Not. Here.

From the garden she hears a voice:

Why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?

She still cannot see. The sun is rising.

She is muttering with explanations,

But Mary’s heart starts beating with tremors

Of hope. Whom do you seek?

He is not here.

And like a voice from heaven,

She hears that voice. The voice she is longing for.

The gardener speaks her name: Mary.

Jesus looks at you and Jesus speaks your name.

The world is new as he speaks your name.

You are made new as he speaks your name.

What the angels said was true

And it is true today.

Jesus is alive.

Jesus walks.

His heart beats in victory.

Easter is announced by every breath he takes.

Easter means that love has won.

Death is finished. Satan is doomed.

Evil is conquered. God is good.

Love’s redeeming work is done.

It. Is. Finished. It . Is. Finished.

He is not dead.

He. Is. Alive.

~ submitted by Rev. Cambron Wright, Pastor of  Faith United Methodist Church in Bowling Green, KY.

Easter Confession

Here’s a thoughtful act of confession for Easter Sunday from Greg Scheer.  

Call to Confession

Christ has risen

and we have risen to new life with him.

Yet we must confess the ways we have

continued to remain in our tombs of sin and death.

Prayer of Confession

Living Lord,

when we stand before the empty tomb

we don’t always feel the joy of resurrection.

We feel fear, doubt, and distrust.

We feel empty.

Forgive the fear that paralyzes us at the brink of new life.

Forgive our doubt of your love.

Forgive our distrust of your surprising, joyous plan.

Fill our emptiness with your glorious light.

Raise us to abundant new life

for the glory of your name.

Words of Assurance

Wake up, sleeper!

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.

Sisters and brothers,

Christ has forgiven our sins.

Christ calls us to new life.

Christ will lead us into righteousness.

Amen.

~ written by Greg Scheer, http://www.gregscheer.com/